Albums by this artist

Trad Arr Jones (1999)

The Name Above The Title (Recommended) (1991)

John Wesley Harding

The Name Above The Title

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» BRADLEY SMITH | STAFF WRITER

NATN Recommended John Wesley Harding The Name Above The Title Sire/Reprise, 1991 RiYL: Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, Bruce Springsteen

It's astounding that John Wesley Harding isn't more popular than he is. All the elements for pop-stardom are there: intelligence, wit, sincerity and kindness. He's got a fantastic knack for crafting beautiful melodies and a lovely voice. His songs can be upbeat, bouncy and extremely catchy, as well as morose and haunting. To top it all off, he's really good looking.

John Wesley Harding is today's most underrated songwriter, but he's not the most innovative. He's a folk-rocker through and through, following the line that begins with Woody Guthrie, passes through Dylan, Springsteen, and others, and is carried on today in the music of Harding, Jay Farrar and the likes.

Yet there's also a classic pop element to Harding's music that separates him from the "no depression" folks. The perfect starting place for an introduction into the talent of John Wesley Harding is his 1991 release The Name Above The Title.

Every song on this album is fantastic. "Fifty Fifty Split" is one of the most intelligent and beautiful love songs every written, as is "Save A Little Room For Me." The lost love and aching vocal of "Driving In The Rain" is enough to break anyone's heart.

Sure, the lyrics may not be quite as positive as the music, but no one ever said a happy melody has to have a happy lyric. Like Elvis Costello, Harding has a gift for writing music that plays against the lyrics. Take "Backing Out" for instance, on which Harding sings with a smile:

Ten years ago when we had high ideals / We couldn't wait to play the protest game / But now we have our thing together / Brand new leather, three bank accounts / Who cares about the starving millions / We're just happy that our cheques don't bounce.

The most brilliant song on the album is "The People's Drug." Every line is a witty and intelligent commentary on the the nineties. It's tempting to quote the whole song here -- it's that good -- but here's just a taste:

Pick me up and take me to a movie / Give me an ending that I can understand / Sell me a rocking soundtrack, make it groovy / Give me backstage passes to the band / People always whine whine whine / Shut up and pay the fine fine fine / What's the difference anyway / Between being safe and being rad / When the big joke is we've all been had / You won't get to read the news in USA Today.

There aren't many songwriters around today that can pack the verbal punch that Harding can and even less can back it up with such wonderful music. Harding deserves to be recognized for the supreme talent that he is. Everyone should be listening to his albums.

BRADLEY SMITH |